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Deng Y, Kumar A, Xie K, Schaaf K, Scifo E, Morsy S, Li T, Ehninger A, Bano D, Ehninger D. Targeting senescent cells with NKG2D-CAR T cells. Cell Death Discov 2024; 10:217. [PMID: 38704364 PMCID: PMC11069534 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-024-01976-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
This study investigates the efficacy of NKG2D chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) engineered T cells in targeting and eliminating stress-induced senescent cells in vitro. Cellular senescence contributes to age-related tissue decline and is characterized by permanent cell cycle arrest and the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Immunotherapy, particularly CAR-T cell therapy, emerges as a promising approach to selectively eliminate senescent cells. Our focus is on the NKG2D receptor, which binds to ligands (NKG2DLs) upregulated in senescent cells, offering a target for CAR-T cells. Using mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and astrocytes (AST) as senescence models, we demonstrate the elevated expression of NKG2DLs in response to genotoxic and oxidative stress. NKG2D-CAR T cells displayed potent cytotoxicity against these senescent cells, with minimal effects on non-senescent cells, suggesting their potential as targeted senolytics. In conclusion, our research presents the first evidence of NKG2D-CAR T cells' ability to target senescent brain cells, offering a novel approach to manage senescence-associated diseases. The findings pave the way for future investigations into the therapeutic applicability of NKG2D-targeting CAR-T cells in naturally aged organisms and models of aging-associated brain diseases in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yushuang Deng
- Translational Biogerontology Lab, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Venusberg-Campus 1/99, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Avadh Kumar
- Translational Biogerontology Lab, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Venusberg-Campus 1/99, 53127, Bonn, Germany
- Lonza Netherlands B.V., Geleen, Urmonderbaan 20-B, 6167 RD, Geleen, Netherlands
| | - Kan Xie
- Translational Biogerontology Lab, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Venusberg-Campus 1/99, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Kristina Schaaf
- Translational Biogerontology Lab, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Venusberg-Campus 1/99, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Enzo Scifo
- Translational Biogerontology Lab, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Venusberg-Campus 1/99, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Sarah Morsy
- Translational Biogerontology Lab, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Venusberg-Campus 1/99, 53127, Bonn, Germany
- AvenCell Europe GmbH, Tatzberg 47, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Tao Li
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and Geriatric Psychiatry/Neurology, University of Bonn Medical Center, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Armin Ehninger
- AvenCell Europe GmbH, Tatzberg 47, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Daniele Bano
- Aging and Neurodegeneration Lab, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Venusberg-Campus 1/99, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Dan Ehninger
- Translational Biogerontology Lab, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Venusberg-Campus 1/99, 53127, Bonn, Germany.
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Kiefer A, Prüfer M, Röder J, Pfeifer Serrahima J, Bodden M, Kühnel I, Oberoi P, Wels WS. Dual Targeting of Glioblastoma Cells with Bispecific Killer Cell Engagers Directed to EGFR and ErbB2 (HER2) Facilitates Effective Elimination by NKG2D-CAR-Engineered NK Cells. Cells 2024; 13:246. [PMID: 38334638 PMCID: PMC10854564 DOI: 10.3390/cells13030246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
NKG2D is an activating receptor of natural killer cells that recognizes stress-induced ligands (NKG2DL) expressed by many tumor cells. Nevertheless, NKG2DL downregulation or shedding can still allow cancer cells to evade immune surveillance. Here, we used lentiviral gene transfer to engineer clinically usable NK-92 cells with a chimeric antigen receptor (NKAR) which contains the extracellular domain of NKG2D for target recognition, or an NKAR, together with the IL-15 superagonist RD-IL15, and combined these effector cells with recombinant NKG2D-interacting bispecific engagers that simultaneously recognize the tumor-associated antigens epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) or ErbB2 (HER2). Applied individually, in in vitro cell-killing assays, these NKAB-EGFR and NKAB-ErbB2 antibodies specifically redirected NKAR-NK-92 and NKAR_RD-IL15-NK-92 cells to glioblastoma and other cancer cells with elevated EGFR or ErbB2 levels. However, in mixed glioblastoma cell cultures, used as a model for heterogeneous target antigen expression, NKAR-NK cells only lysed the EGFR- or ErbB2-expressing subpopulations in the presence of one of the NKAB molecules. This was circumvented by applying NKAB-EGFR and NKAB-ErbB2 together, resulting in effective antitumor activity similar to that against glioblastoma cells expressing both target antigens. Our results demonstrate that combining NK cells carrying an activating NKAR receptor with bispecific NKAB antibodies allows for flexible targeting, which can enhance tumor-antigen-specific cytotoxicity and prevent immune escape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Kiefer
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Maren Prüfer
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Jasmin Röder
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Jordi Pfeifer Serrahima
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Malena Bodden
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Ines Kühnel
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Pranav Oberoi
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Winfried S. Wels
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Frankfurt/Mainz, a Partnership between DKFZ and University Hospital Frankfurt, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany
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